Charades 4 6
by SONGUE
Summary: When half a dozen go on a secret quest,  To save their friend in mortal unrest,  The peril of solving this final test,  Will prove their worth against the Best.
1. Hi diddle diddle

I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.

* * *

><p>It was almost midnight when the black car took a turn into the deserted street and stopped in front of a door. It was an ordinary metal door, two steps up from the street, a single, almost burnt light shining over it.<p>

The backseat door opened, revealing one extraordinary man. One could argue it was because of his fame and intelect. Others, because of his fashion sense. His unique attire consisted in the bright green suit he wore, with a question mark pattern all over it, including his purple tie. He wore a a bowl hat with a purple stripe, and a small green mask.

He stood up, and in his hands was a cane, also in the shape of a question mark.

Who he was, was no mistery. He wore a mask, even though his face and name was known all over town, specially from the "wanted" posters.

He was an enigma.

"E". Nygma.

Edward Nygma.

Or so he called himself. Of course, that was not his real name.

(Or was it?)

Nobody was sure, and he was not a man of answering. Only questioning.

He prefered another name, especially when he wore the business suit.

He was **The Riddler**, the man who made the questions and had all the answers.

The smartest man alive.

(At least he acted like that.)

Tonight, the Riddler had come to this particular address for no particular reason, except the reason that made him who he was.

Last night, someone left an envelope at his hideout.

Nobody knew he was there, he was certain of it.

That is, until he got the envelope.

No sender, only a question mark in green ink.

Inside of it, a small piece of paper, with a number on it, and one old key.

Someone was sending him a challenge and an invitation.

(**NOBODY** challenged the Riddler. He was the one who tested others. Never the one to be tested.)

Intrigued, he looked at the number. '86.400'. He sighed, disappointed.

Then he proceeded to the key. Flat, brass, not distinguishable marks, except two small letters, "Y" and "L".

'It's a date, then', he half-smiled, throwing away the envelope and putting the contents in his pocket.

Now, at this undiclosed location, the Riddler used the key at the door and it opened, as he already knew it would.

The man walked down a narrow staircase into the basement of the building, rather bored.

"I see you got my message", said a male voice from below. "Was it hard to find this place?"

The Riddler pondered for a second, but did not recognize immediately the owner of the voice. It was familiar though - arrogant and grave, full of sarcasm.

"Of course not. You gave me too many clues", Nygma replied to the yet unknown man.

It was well-lit for a basement. It looked just like one of his many hideouts. 'Probably a storeroom', he concluded, like the hundreds more owned by the many criminals of Gotham City.

"My fault", the man said. "I underestimated your _intelect_". There was a deliberate pause before the last word.

Now he could see the man, and he immediately knew exactly who he was.

The only man that considered himself smarter than the Riddler himself.

Edward replied in disdain: "A common and unforgivable mistake for many. But you are known yourself for making crucial mistakes, isn't that right,_ Mr. Luthor_?"

The Riddler rumaged through his suit's pocket, playing around with his golden cane in his other hand.

He produced the small paper. "A number and a key. '86.400' was obvious. The exact number of seconds in a full twenty four hours cycle, a solar day on planet Earth. But that was too easy, of course, anyone could just 'google' it. Now, the key..."

He gave a little smile.

"This is a 'Yale Locks' key, from an old company that closed down decades ago. This is were their old address used to be, when this was still known as 24th Street, 400. Today, this is the 86th street. 86th, 400."

Riddler smiled, an honest and sincere smile. "I cannot help but admire this invitation of yours, although the simplicity of it was really frustrating. At least, it has been quite a good use of fifteen minutes of my free time, last night. The real riddle, however is... what do YOU really want from me, Luthor?"

"Me? Nothing", he said with smug.

Luthor had one of those expressions, calculating every move around him.

To Nygma, Luthor appeared as a perpetual chess player, always looking and thinking ten steps ahead of those around him.

(The Riddler played at thirteen steps ahead, without breaking a sweat, as he would gladly gloat about it in any other occasion.)

"I come as a representative of a... let's say, a certain _group of interests_. We have had a little problem of late that requires a man with your talents. In any other occasion, we would handle it ourselves, however, we find ourselves... 'caught' in other projects, so we opted for... an 'outsource'."

The Riddler rose his hands.

"Please, Lex, don't bother. I know there are some subjects that cannot come... to '_Light_'..."- Luthor narrowed his eyes at the mention of this name. - "... but I don't want to have anything with any group right now, whatever side of the law it is... or pretends to be."

The Riddler gave a nod with his hat, turned around and was about to leave, until...

"**Robin**."

The Riddler stop, looking back just slightly interested.

"What about him?"

"Was he not the one that caught you last time? Oh, I heard about that. You... ALMOST got away from Batman, didn't you? You would have got away from the country in the nick of time, leaving behind a clueless Batman and proving your intelect as the smartest mind in Gotham City. If only his sidekick had not managed to hack into your firewall, right under your nose, and found out your escape plans, you would have won."

The Riddler said nothing, but Luthor knew he was just holding back the obvious outburst. 'One more insult, then': "If a child like him could do something so complicated so easily, then what must that say about someone like you, Edward? The Batman besting you, sure, even you recognize his intellect. But, _a little boy_...?"

"That little brat...", Riddler mumbled, then suddenly shouted "**HE CHEATED**! There's no way he could have... not without HELP!"

Luthor smiled. He got Nygma exactly where he wanted him. The man was so smart, but he let his ego get the best of him sometimes.

Not like him, of course.

"Well... what if I told you that, nowadays, the '_Boy-Wonder_' hangs around with a different kind of group? Not his boss's gang, no. Others, just like him".

He got closer to the Riddler: "Can you tell me what is young, gullible, inexperienced, too full of themselves, too proud of their accomplishments and have yet to feel the weight of reality?"

The Riddler turned back to Luthor.

He was serious now.

"_Kids_", Edward Nygma answered.

"Got you interested now, Edward?"

The Riddler looked straight to Luthor, no, beyond him.

"What does Life give us all, but you could never give to yourself?"

With that, the Riddler left.

* * *

><p>Inside the car, Edward Nygma - no, the Riddler was already deep in thoughts.<p>

He knew Lex knew he would react like that.

He did not care.

'Let Luthor think he's in control. Let he think he can toy with me! I have something much more IMPORTANT to do now. After that, then... then I'll deal with Luthor.'

* * *

><p>Back in the former office of Yale's Locks, Lex Luthor smiled.<p>

"_A lesson_", he answered - to no one.


	2. If you say my name, you'll break me

I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.

* * *

><p><strong>MOUNT JUSTICE<strong>

**NOVEMBER 25, 07:16 EDT**

The day in the Cave began like many others before, Aqualad and Robin were the first to wake up, and they already had their early morning training session - Kaldur's idea, and Robin supported it wholeheartedly.

M'gann was already at the kitchen, her newest attempts on making pancakes were left in a corner, almost too burnt for human taste - except for Wally's, that is.

Artemis was already up, finishing her juice, while Conner was still deciding if he should take his chances on said pancakes.

Wally, as usual, was the last one to wake up. His accelerated metabolism was a double-edged blade, while he was the fastest teen in the world, it took him a lot of eating and a lot of resting to keep himself healthy.

The passing blur and the disappearing pancakes told everyone Wally was already up and running - quite literally.

Superboy would not admit it out loud, but he was a bit glad the choice of tasting the pancakes had suddenly being taken away from him. Even more fortunate for him, M'gann would not pry his thoughts to find out this little piece of information.

"Best-pancakes-ever-Miss-M-do-you-have-any-more-left?"

"'Baywatch', slow down or you'll bite your tongue off", Artemis warned him.

"I think I am beginning to understand him", said M'gann happy, as she produced a new plateful of pancakes, a little less burned this time.

"You may be the only one", Artemis replied.

The boy called Kid Flash stopped on the other side of the counter, already holding a gallon of milk. "Not true, blondie. Anyone fast enough can..."

"Who said anything about speed, I was referring to the dumb things you usually say."

M'gann giggled as Artemis smirked.

Wally rolled his eyes as he opened the plastic jug to take a sip.

A calm morning, like usual.

Since that was a day with no missions, it meant double practice lessons, and Black Canary was especially tough this day. The team had to gather around and play her favorite game, "_Try to Take-down the Teacher_".

As usual, it was a succession of failures, but Robin and Artemis, with a surprising sneak attack, had come the closest to actually knocking Canary off her feet... that is, until she decided to get _serious_.

She congratulated everyone, reminding them that, although they had failed, it was only due to her being way more experienced in fighting than the teenagers.

"With a few more months of heavy training, even I will have to stop pulling my punches against you guys", she complimented.

That did not make their total loss less painful, but at least they got a collective boost in their morale - so that was still cool.

* * *

><p>So, it came the evening, and with it, the quietness.<p>

Kaldur, as usual, was swimming at the shore. There was a swimming pool with sea water inside the Cave, from Aquaman's days, but this could never match the feeling he had for the open sea.

Robin was practicing at the gym, polishing his personal combination of the Grayson Quadruple somersault with batarang target practice.

M'gann was having her Martian meditation time, a shape-shifting version of yoga that could help her achieve the advanced art of density shifting, mastered by her Uncle J'onn.

Artemis was having her own 'meditation' practice, consisting on sharpening her normal arrows and dismantling and rebuilding her other trick-arrows. This actually gave her a lot of peace of mind, a time only for herself and her weaponry.

Wally West was, surprisingly, studying - but not by choice. Being super-fast meant he could read an entire library in one day, however, Wally could not retain so much new knowledge for long, usually forgetting most of it half an hour later.

His uncle Barry - The Flash - had the same problem, but he theorized that after they got their powers, their brains were naturally protecting themselves to an extent, being flexible enough to keep some 'hard' memories during Flash-speed while discarding 'temporary' excessive memories, otherwise they would probably get insane by the huge amount of things they could absorb in such little time. That would explain while Old Jay Garrick (the First Flash, born with the super-speed genes), who was nowhere near Barry's speed, was not hindered by this problem - he naturally learned so much in his life he was the quintessential 'jack-of-all-trades'.

So, of course, if Wally wanted to succeed in the test, he would have to learn History the old fashioned way.

And Superboy... he was sitting at the couch watching the TV, with no signal on. Wolf kept him company on his feet, sleeping.

Nobody ever questioned him about it. Wally had a theory that Superboy's senses were so powerful he had to take a break from the excessive feedback by tuning in on the TV's incohesive screen.

Robin wondered if Conner was actually revising all the knowledge he had, implanted by Cadmus, technical data of so many subjects, varying from military tactics from foreign relation history.

M'gann thought it was only just one of her boyfriend's quirks.

* * *

><p>When the moment came to prepare their dinner, M'gann was caught by surprise by a little transparent DVD case on top of the counter.<p>

She took it and examined it.

There was a beautiful shiny green ribbon making a lace on top of it, like a present. The case was see-through, so she could read what was written on top of it.

It was a question.

"Conner? Did you leave this here?", she asked Superboy, but he shook his head. "Really? Then who did?"

"I don't know. You are the first one I've seen in a while. I was playing fetch with Wolf outside, and I just got here, maybe ten minutes ago."

"Strange. There is a question on this disc."

"What is it? What does it say?"

"'**PLAY ME ?**', what does it mean?"


	3. PLAY ME ?

I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.

* * *

><p><strong>MOUNT JUSTICE<strong>  
><strong>NOVEMBER 25, 18:30 EDT<strong>

"What's up, guys?", asked Robin, in his training clothes. He was going for the kitchen to grab a bit when he spotted Wally checking what appeared to be a DVD, with all the rest of the team wondering around him.

"Hey, Miss M just found this, it looks like a movie disc", answered Wally, "but it's from none of us. Yours?"

"Nope, don't use DVD in a very long time now", Robin added, checking inside the refrigerator for some snack that got away from Wally's 'degustation derby'.

"The weird thing is, it is asking if we are going to play it", wondered M'gann.

This caught Robin's attention. It was the _Training_, after all.

"Ok, let me check it", the Boy-Wonder humored.

The young hero caught the disc and checked it, up and down.

"'Play Me ?'... that's odd, all right. Is it out-terrogating us?"

"'Out-terrogating'?", Wally raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, it's..."

"Yeah, we get it", said Artemis, annoyed with yet another one of Robin's new words. "But still, it doesn't answer _WHO_ is this from, or _WHAT_ is it doing here."

"Maybe it's Black Canary's?", wondered Superboy. "She was here earlier, maybe she forgot it."

"No, I remember her leaving before lunch, and I found this way after we cleaned up and did the dishes."

"Come on, guys, there is one only logical course of action!", said Wally, taking the DVD out of Robin's hands and rushing straight for the TV.

They all gathered on the couches while Wally turned the DVD player on and inserted the disc.

* * *

><p>After a moment of loading, a man suddenly took over the screen, wearing a green suit, red sideburns under his green hat, a trickster smile in his face.<p>

"Hey!"

"Isn't that...?"

"It's...!"

"... Riddler", Robin said, his voice cold. Now he understood it. It wasn't a question, the 'Play Me ?'.

It was an **instruction** and a **signature**.

'**PLAY ME**'  
><em><strong>?<strong>_

"_Hello there, 'kids'. And hello again, **Robin.**_"

"This is nuts!", Kid Flash shouted. "How DID he..."

"_Right now, you must all be wondering, 'how did the Riddler find US?_", he asked in the screen, hands behind his back, spinning his brass cane. "_You see, I have been sooo busy, ever since I left that 'Beautiful Dream' I was put into. Thanks to Robin, I must add._"

Robin was quiet, paying the most attention to the recording.

"_So many things happened while I was sabbatical, so many changes and so many new faces started showing everyday around the Globe. I heard rumors, from Santa Prisca to India, from New Orleans... to **Happy Harbor**, of all places!_"

He was at some big place with bad lighting, or maybe purposely shadowy, while he stood in the spotlight, the focus of attention.

"_Not so hard to add the facts, at least, not so hard for someone like **ME**. I got my eyes on you, kids, and you are my NEW pet project... and it is going to be BIG!_"

He gave a small laugh. It did not sound sincere.

"_But WHAT could a man... like ME... be planning against KIDS, like you? Hm? Here, let me give you a hint..._", he said stepping right, out of the camera focus.

There was only darkness beyond where he once stood.

Then the lights came on, and they all gasped - even Robin.

Red Arrow.

Tied to a chair. Almost naked. Beaten up.

REALLY beaten up.

His face was swollen in places. there was some blood on the corner of his mouth and, to the horror of his friends, many cuts and bruises covered his arms and bare legs.

And he still had his mask on his face.

"_Did you guess it? Can YOU guess it?_" He toyed, walking around their friend. "_Come on, I'm asking an easy one here. No ideas?_"

"When I get my hands on him...", said Superboy, only for Artemis to add, "You will have to wait until after **I'M** done."

Miss Martian had tears in her face already.

Kid Flash's mouth was wide open, too stunned to speak.

And Robin... Robin just watched, arms crossed, hand on his chin.

"_No ideas? Thought so. Perhaps this one IS too difficult for children, after all!_", he smiled, in a new, more sinister way, this time. "_The answer is: 'I'm going to prove a Point'. This,_"- he motioned his head toward the bounded hero - '_this is what happens to kids who think they can play adults' games._"

The Riddler walk back to the camera, almost blocking Red Arrow again.

"**_They lose._**"

His words echoed in the cave. Nobody spoke. Nobody made a move. They were like statues from the shock of those scenes.

But it wasn't over.

"_In the name of fairness, maybe you'll want to prove me WRONG. Right? Of course I am. So..._" - he looked side to side - "... _**can you DO it**? Can you stop me? **ME**?_"

The Riddler opened up his arms, his cane still spinning on his right hand.

"_Here is my challenge: YOU, the '**Young Justice League**', will have to solve my riddles and triumph over my games, and if you do, '**IF**' you do, you will have your lost friend back. **I promise**._"

Suddenly, he stopped the spinning and hit the cane on the floor.

"_Of course, my challenge comes with rules, and there's one VERY important rule: '**No help from the grown-ups**!'. Got that? After all, this is **YOUR** homework, **no cheating allowed**... or 'Speedy' here is the one who gets the **penalties**._"

The Riddler came closer to the screen, his brown eyes stood out in his small green domino mask.

"_Ready to match wits with** the Riddler**?_"

He picked up the camera and gave himself a close-up.

"_Oh, and Robin? '**Riddle me this, riddle me that, can you catch me without the BAT?**'_".

A swift motion in the scene and the floor was the last thing recorded before the camera smashed against the ground.

It was the end of the message.


	4. Everyday around the Globe

I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.

* * *

><p>Four hours later.<p>

In spite of their rush, the teenagers could not just leave as they pleased.

Even though Black Canary wasn't around, there was always Red Tornado checking up on them.

And **Batman**.

That's why Robin was quick to edit out the security footage of the recreation room, to leave no traces for the adults.

Too much in stake to have the League joining the fray.

Sleep time. While it was easier for Conner and M'gann, who already lived at the Cave, and Robin and Aqualad could easily get permission from their mentors, Wally and Artemis had to check with their families if they could stay overnight.

They also discussed if they should ask for the help of Zatanna, but decided not to, in the end.

Time was of the essence. The longer they took to rescue Red Arrow, the worse things could get.

It was almost midnight when they all could finally leave Mount Justice behind and disappear into the night.

Ten minutes after, the Bio-Ship was soaring fast through the higher atmosphere, in camouflage mode.

The Team was all cladded and armed, prepared for the battle.

Robin had been debriefing his friends about his past history with Edward Nigma, a.K.a. Edward Nygma, a.K.a. the Riddler.

"And he is also proficient in computer hacking, almost as good as me and Batman."

"That would explain how the Riddler hacked into our security system and left that 'message' in the kitchen", Kid Flash deduced. "Still..."

"Attention, everyone", M'gann suddenly spoke, "we are approaching our destination!"

"You **sure** about this, Robin?", asked Conner.

Robin knew his friend did not want to be there - at all.

"Yeah, I'm sure", he proceeded to project a copy of the video-message from earlier in his hologram screen. "The Riddler is nothing but compulsive in leaving clues."

"Well, duh, I think the name speaks for itself", added Artemis.

"Correct. Nygma never leaves a message without it being a riddle or a clue. This part, he said '_I left the Beautiful Dream_'. In french, _Beautiful Dream_ is..."

"**_Belle Reve_**", Conner answered.

"Yes. So, he is telling us about his escape from prison."

"He said he was there because of you?", asked M'gann.

"Well, Bats and I, we put the Riddler behind bars... but mainly, you could say it WAS because of me."

"So?", asked Kid Flash, surprised.

"Well. This last time, the Riddler was pulling some heists on jewelry stores, but it was not his usual modus operandi."

"Like what? No riddles?, Artemis joined them.

"No riddles, no puzzles, no traps, no hidden coincidence in dates or stores' names. Frankly, it was getting frustrating, even for Batman. Only much later we would discover that the Riddler was the puzzle himself."

"I see", said Aqualad. "Because there were no clues... that was a clue in itself, right?"

"Exactly!", Robin said, amazed. Aqualad would not show it, but he was quite a quick-thinker himself. "He was after the insurance companies that transfered the money after the robberies. The Riddler made us run around Gotham, trying to predict his moves and stop the crimes, while the true purpose of the Riddler was infecting the stores' computer with a computer virus that would weaken the insurance companies' defenses and leave a door wide open for him to go in and get out with A LOT of money."

"How much are we talking about?", asked Kid Flash.

"Enough to make the stolen jewels seem like pocket change. And he nearly did get away clean."

They were beginning to understand the Riddler's threat after all. Not only the man had their friend, but he was clever enough to trick even Batman, the greatest detective in the world.

"But you stopped him. You did", said Miss Martian. "How?"

Robin looked away, awkward. "I got lucky, honestly. Really! I had a hunch that the Riddler was secretly messing with the security systems during the heists. I stumbled upon a bug he had planted to keep a hidden access to the cameras' feed. The Riddler was keeping an eye on us, keeping track on our investigation. It was only a matter of using HIS bug against him. He wanted to keep us under his surveillance, but he ended up giving a backstage pass to his whole operation. When the Riddler found out, Batman was already on top of him. **LITERALLY**. Bats crashed into his hide-out through a window and took down the Riddler."

"So, Batman gets this guy's butt whooped, but the Riddler's after you... because you outsmarted him? That's crazy."

"That's Nygma for you. Catching the Riddler is not as bad as being cleverer than him. Although he did sound a little... _edgier_ this time. It seemed more like he was angry at **US**. All of us."

"Well, we never spoke to him during our covert mission", Conner added, while M'gann just shook her head to reinforce what he just said. "We only heard about his escape much, much later."

"That's odd, all right", Robin remarked. "Now, this next line, he said he had been_ sabbatical_."

"As in '_Black Sabbath_'?", asked Kid Flash.

"'Sabbatical', it means resting", answered Superboy.

"Actually, KF is right too", Robin continued. "Well, both of you are 'right', or at least close enough. Sabbatical does come from Sabbath, which could either refer to a rest or the day of resting, specifically 'God's resting day', in Jewish and Christian culture. That either means Saturday or Sunday. Seeing today IS late Friday night, it would be safe to assume he is making a clue about '**Saturday**'."

"How the heck do you know so much about language and still come up with 'traught' and 'whelmed'?", asked Artemis annoyed.

"Practice", he said, to the general amusement.

They were all doing their best to lighten up the mood.

They knew Red Arrow was in danger, but they also understood that their group worked better that way, as friends.

Getting all worked-up could get either them or their friend killed.

Or both.

"So we have 'Saturday'. What about the place, how did you figure it out?", Kid Flash wondered.

"He said '_everyday around the Globe_'. With Nygma, you need to think outside the box, check for double meanings and puns. Batman hates Riddler's puns, by the way."

"So... 'everyday in the Globe' would translate as something related to both '_everyday_' and '_globe_'", concluded Aqualad.

"Or, in this case...", Robin started. But Superboy completed it:

"The _DAILY PLANET_... In **Metropolis**."


	5. How do you break the Unbreakable?

I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.

* * *

><p>METROPOLIS NOVEMBER 26, 00:01 EDT<p>

"Okay, team. Check everything on the roof", Kaldur ordered, as they exited the Ship, still in stealth mode.

"And be careful, the Riddler likes to leave _nasty_ surprises", Robin warned, already bringing his hologram screen into action.

"Miss Martian, track any thoughts, check if we are alone up here, we do not want any surprise visitors around", Kaldur asked her, and he added, "Artemis, keep an eye on nearby roofs, see if we are being watched from afar."

Robin checked the radar for any suspicious movement from above as well, while his friends walked around him.

He noticed that everything looked strangely in order on the roof.

The lights were on.

The famous huge 'Daily Planet' globe still spun around.

There was an occasional burnt cigarette here and there, some birds' waste around...

Then he noticed it. Or better put, he noticed Him.

The only one who was not moving around was, to his surprise, Kid Flash.

"What's wrong, KF?", he asked.

"Maybe nothing, but..."

"Tell us", asked Kaldur.

"Well, those fuse boxes, the one on the right", he pointed to the one the closest to a door that lead downstairs, "has cables coming out of it and it's the one that is probably connected to the roof's lights and the spinning globe."

"So, what is the OTHER fuse box is doing there?", completed Artemis.

Robin mentally slapped himself for missing that simple fact, but this was the time to keep the aster.

This time, more than ever, he had to be professional.

He had to be like Batman.

"Let me check on something", said Robin, pulling a small tube-shaped device from the famous utility belt.

It appeared to be a small pen-lantern, which he turned on, shining a purpleish light beam.

Robin turned it towards the wall and a drawing suddenly appeared around the suspicious box.

It was a shape resembling the eponymous shield worn by the guardian of Metropolis...

... except, instead of an 'S', there was a question mark emblanzoning it.

Superboy frowned, angry.

The Team walked slowly toward it, alert of the potential threat hidden in the box.

Kid Flash looked at Superboy, and saw that he was staring intently at it.

He understood his friend's frustration.

Conner did not get THAT particular power, from the long list of abilities from his genetic donor.

"Hey, Robin", he asked his other friend, "do you have any 'Bat-x-ray-specs' in your belt, by any chance?"

Conner winced slightly - Kid Flash did not notice it.

"No, still in development at the batcave", he answered, and added with a grin: "But I did get the improved version of my 'bat-shark-repellent'."

"Miss Martian", Aqualad said, arming his waterbearers, "please, open the lid... carefully."

"Right", she replied, extending a hand toward the box and concentrating.

The lid shook a little and opened, very slowly.

Instead of fuses, it revealed a set of devices that were not remotely found in a fuse box.

A set of lens sprang from the inside - they prepared themselves - and a light was turned on.

Suddenly, the Riddler's face appeared in front of them.

"... a hologram", Robin said.

The Riddler smirked and started talking, his voice coming out of the device, sounding strange, almost badly broadcasted, echoed.

"_Look!_", he said in an fake excited tone. "_Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! ... oh. It is NOT Superman._"

They all betrayed themselves - even Robin - and looked at Conner.

The teen was clenching his fists.

Not a good sign, they all reckoned.

"_Tell me, super**BOY**, who ARE you? Better yet, **WHAT** are you? I can tell easily what you are **NOT**._"

The face backed away, and now his whole body was displayed.

"_A hero_."

Robin was typing away, trying to check if the hologram was really a recorded message or perhaps a transmission.

Actually, he was just making himself busy, not to stare his friend again.

The Riddler, unfortunately, was still speaking: "_Created by Cadmus as a weapon. Accidentally released by kids. Rejected by Superman. Enlisted in a team to 'fight the good fight for the Justice League'... **what a joke**_", he added, covering his brow, pretending to be disappointed. "_You MUST have figured it out already, haven't you? Or are you just another brainless brute, all strength, no intelligence?_"

That 'Riddler' knocked on his own forehead: "_Who gave you the right to bear the Shield? Not HIM, that's for sure. **Not the ONE that really matters**, isn't that right? So, why do they KEEP you around? You think a man like the 'Dark Knight' would trust you completely, just like THAT? **YOU ARE BEING USED**, kid. You are a tool for the Justice League, just like you were for Cadmus. They will use you until the moment you betray them, and why would you not do it? **YOU ALREADY DID IT THE FIRST TIME AROUND**._"

The Riddler image shimmered.

"_Do you think that you are going to get ME? Will that finally prove your loyalty to everyone, even to your 'DADDY'? Prove that you are just as good as the 'Man' himself? I assure you: after this is all over, we will ALL see what you are REALLY made of, super**BOY**, don't worry!_", he adjusted his own tie. "_The Riddler will be watching you closely._"

Then he turned his back

"**_I'll be watching you FAIL_**", he said finally, before disappearing.

The machine turned off by itself.

Just a second before a fist smashed through it.

"Conner...", M'gann said, worried, as she stepped forward.

"... don't worry," he said almost emotionless - some of them felt a shiver on their spines, "... I'm...", then he suddenly collapsed on his knees.

His hand was bleeding profusely.


	6. Oh yes There will be blood

I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.

* * *

><p>"What's going on?", asked Wally, shocked.<p>

"Look!", Robin pointed to the remnants of the box, a small green glow coming from the hole Superboy had just made.

In a sudden move, Kid Flash was already at the box, sticking his hand inside the parts and taking out a small green shining object.

It was a rock, the size of a grape. It was crystal clear, carved like a jewel, in the shape of a small question mark.

"Kryp-**IT'S KRYPTONITE**!", he interjected.

"**GET RID OF IT, WALLY!**"

Artemis yelled and just as quickly Kid Flash spun and tossed it away, so fast and so far, it shot like a bullet, reaching the roof on the second building down the street and smashing on impact.

Robin checked the torned fuse box while Kaldur checked their friend, still knelt and being hugged by a concerned martian.

The leader saw that there were no traces of the alien mineral left on his friends' hand, as the wound started to close and heal on itself, almost immediately.

"A trap", said Batman's apprentice. "The Riddler must have deduced Superboy would lose his temper over the recording and do something like this", he commented, taking a piece of scrap metal and analysing it.

It wasn't the first time he inspected blood stained evidence.

But this was not any blood.

It was a friend's.

It was family's.

'_Keep it together, Robin_', he scolded himself. '_Not. The. Time._'

Regaining his line of thought, Robin analyzed the situation, using The Training.

* * *

><p><em>A trap. A Riddler's trap.<em>

_'**What do you do when you find an evidence from a foe?**', asked a voice inside Robin's head. An all too familiar voice._

_Easy. Study it. Compare it to previous encounters. Remember the studied data. Find the pattern.  
><em>

_'**Everything is a clue.**'  
><em>

__Right. What did he give us? A message, a machine, the location. Hints. Hints in his words. Hints in the meaning of words.__

_The recorded speech. The pattern of his voice. The taunt. The insult. The keywords.  
><em>

_'LOOK', 'sky', 'plane', 'NOT Superman', 'BOY', 'hero', 'cadmus', 'the good fight', 'WHAT A JOKE', 'shield', 'dark knight', 'trust', 'YOU ARE BEING USED', 'kid', 'tool', 'betray', 'DADDY', 'loyalty', 'MAN', 'when this is all over', 'what you are REALLY made of', 'The Riddler WILL be watching'..._

_Too random? Maybe. There is a lot of insults against Superboy, but a lot of warnings as well. Nygma is hinting something, something to do with the whole idea of us being too young for this. But why?_

_OK, next: the location. Metropolis. The Daily Planet. Not random at all. Superman's work. Does The Riddler know it? Maybe. Or maybe it's a coincidence. _Lois Lane's work. _This place is a public reference for all that is Superman, after all._

_'I'll be watching you FAIL', he said. Why? Is he testing US or maybe just Conner?_

_The box was made to be broken. The Riddler taunted Superboy._

_He KNEW Superboy would be angry._

_He knows about Superboy's temper._

_He knows about us. How?  
><em>

_And how much?_

* * *

><p>A few seconds of silence, then Robin spoke again.<p>

"The Riddler likes to provoke people, surely", Robin told his friends. "But this? This time, he was trying to get to you, man."

"And I fell for it", Superboy replied. "STUPID!"

M'gann touched his face and they stared each other for a couple of seconds.

Superboy instantly relaxed.

"Sorry, my bad", he said, looking to his friends.

"Do not fret about it", Kaldur advised. "It is clear that the Riddler is playing tricks with us. We will have to be even more careful from this point on."

"Wait, don't forget the... _the rock_", said Superboy looking in the general direction it was tossed away. "I - **We** don't want to leave that behind, because..."

He did not have to say it aloud. No reason to.

His team, his FRIENDS, they knew that, even though he was rejected by the man, deep down he still cared about him.

That's why he wore the shield. Not for the approval. It was for the good he did on its behalf.

And, of course, they knew that leaving those pieces of Kryptonite behind could later turn out troublesome - or even fatal - to the great hero.

"Don't worry! I'll fly there and get it, the Ship can store it safely."

With that, Miss Martian left them.

* * *

><p>She left him on the rooftop.<p>

M'gann was worried sick about Conner.

She had never seen him like that. There were too many emotions twisting inside of him, such strong feelings she could not block them from prying into her own mind.

Conner was angry, furious. And afraid. And sad. And hateful.

And hopeful.

She could understand some of his feelings. The loneliness. The agony.

Red Arrow was their friend. For Conner, though, his first few friends were his family.

Though Red Arrow was not among the ones that saved him from Cadmus, Superboy would always be in debt of him.

He was the one that gave the other teens the inspiration, the idea of breaking free from their Mentors. _'Well, a little freer, at least.'_

So, in a sense, she joked once, he was like a distant brother of them, someone that sometimes crashed at the Cave's couch, grabbed a bite, shared some info. Everybody laughed. **Even Red Arrow**.

Family.

That was a heavy word for a Martian like her. Even heavier for a clone, rejected by his own 'father'.

She searched for the rock, flying carefully. Robin made sure to find Superman's location during their preparation back in the cave. The Man of Steel was in another hemisphere, on a humanitarian mission in India, so they had a perfect window of opportunity.

('_Too perfect, if you're asking me_', Artemis had said. They all agreed.)

M'gann's mind drifted away for a second. '_Humanitarian_'. She thought about how the word sounded so silly in the grand scale of the universe.

Humans. Martians. Kryptonians. So many races, what an ego to give their own race the merit of a common trait in many, many species.

So _human_ it was funny.

She found what she was looking for at the edge of a nearby building, almost falling from where it had landed. Wally had really thrown it with all he got.

She landed softly and used her telekinesis to bring the pieces to her. It only shattered in three pieces - the rock was sturdier than it looked like.

Who could imagine such a pretty green thing could, at the same time, be so dangerous?

Just like herself, she thought.

* * *

><p><em>"Speak."<em>

_"They **WHAT**? **ALREADY AT THE DAILY PLANET?** How did they manage to solve it SO fast?** That brat...**"_

_"Huh? The Martian? Really? Far away from her friends? This is better than I expected, I could use that in my..."_

_"No, no, no, **no**! Don't kill her. I need her alive... **for the moment**. If this is how they are going to play, I'll just have to speed up things as well, then! Do you have a copy with you? Excellent. Just do as I say..."_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Cliffhanger<strong>! Oh, what a cliché! But, if it works, why not?_

_(...)  
><em>

_Hello folks, Songue here._

_I'm... going to break tradition and write something down, don't worry, it's quick, harmless and actually concerns you, yeah, you, marvellous you!  
><em>

_First of all, I am SO sorry for the delay, I mean it. I've been getting so much work lately it's been nearly impossible to sit down and update this story. I will be updating as soon as I get the time and the means to do it, ok?_

_Second, please, trust me, I got the whole story in my head, no blocks (I have a history of them), the only problem is... Mr. Nygma is constantly trying to make his riddles more and more complex, so it's hard to write them and make everything worthy of you,guys!_

_(**BTW, thanks-oh-so-much for the reviews, you people rock!**)_

_If you guys want it, I could write the story a bit simpler, the plot would go A LOT faster, but the Riddler would seem to have dumbed down from the beginning._

_If I continue with the complexity I've been working up (let me tell you, I've been researching a lot lately, Robin won't know what hit him!), it will, unfortunately, take a little longer. If you want to share your opinion, please, just fire away._

_Once again, thanks for the reviews, I never believed so many would read this story, thanks a lot!_


	7. The calm before the storm

_I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here._

* * *

><p>Kid Flash got closer to Conner, who was watching Robin connecting some wires from the broken machinery and plugging it into his belt.<p>

"Apart from the message, there's nothing left. Don't worry, Conner.", Robin quickly said. "What I meant was, the Riddler intended for you to destroy the box and get injured, so I don't think there's any riddle for us inside this. What I am trying to do is find some clue, maybe Nygma left a piece of evidence behind that could lead us to him."

"Just like your last time against him?", he asked, wondering why Wally was fidgetting at his side.

"Yes. But, so far, I got nothing. No broadcasting signal, no recognizable clues, nothing. Some of this parts are very expensive, I can see Waynetech, Star Labs, these parts were most probably acquired in the black market. Any other time, we could search for sources, but we simply don't have time for that."

Kid Flash suddenly touched Conner's shoulder.

He had a face of hesitation.

"Look, man, I just wanted to say... _don't worry_", Wally told him.

Conner stared at him, eyebrow raised questioningly.

"What?"

"I mean, you don't have to prove anything to us, right, guys?", he asked turning around to his friends.

They nodded, agreeing.

Conner still did not understand him.

"You know, the message, what that creep said... don't give any attention. You see, I wanted to have powers, just like The Flash. I repeated the accident that gave him his powers and I got them as well, but, deep down, I'll never be like him. Even when I grow, I know that I will never be as fast as the Flash is today, or be able to do half the tricks he does. And Robin here", he pointed to his friend, "he is super smart and has all this cool equipment, but you can clearly see he's no Batman. Not even in a million years. No offense, dude, you're already cool just the way you are."

Robin smiled and nodded.

After the experience they shared during the mental exercise, Robin knew there were some things he would never be able to do.

They were things only The Batman _could_ do. Things only The Batman _would_ do. Things only The Batman _will be able_ to get them done.

Robin knew Bats was training him to be something else, **beyond** the Dark Knight.

Kaldur understood and followed as well: "My King always told me stories about his adventures with the Justice League, but I do not aim to grow and become him either. He is my inspiration, but I am Kaldur'ahm. Not King Orin."

* * *

><p>Artemis was sitting not far away, listening. She wanted to tell them what she felt, what she REALLY felt about it.<p>

Tell Conner that he COULD be someone else, someone not like his Father.

Just like what she was doing now.

But she couldn't. Not today.

So she turned her head, listened to the wind and to the words of those who could say them for Superboy.

* * *

><p>"Why are you telling me this?", the Teen of Steel asked.<p>

"Because you are not Superman", Robin answered. "You will never be him. You are you. And that's awesome."

Conner smiled. He too understood his friends.

Superboy or Superman, it did not matter in the end.

Because ever since he got out of that pod, he was the one in charge of his life.

Not Cadmus.

Not the Justice League.

And definitely **NOT** the Riddler.

* * *

><p>Artemis suddenly stood up. She closed her eyes hard and concentrated, but had no reply.<p>

That got her a little scared.

"Hey, guys...", she asked alarmed, "Megan is taking a LOT of time, isn't she?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>(...)<strong>_

_**Wow.**_

_**I'm sorry for the delay, work is gonna murder me some time soon!**_

_**I did not have the time to write more stuff, SO-SO SORRY about it, guys and gals!**_

_**Therefore, I'm posting this pathetic excuse of a chapter, quick dialogue that fits right in a chapter of its own, but no worries! There will be a riddle in the next chapter.**_

_**And boy, is it a killer one. Honestly, it is driving me to borderline madness with the building up of the challenge!**_

_**But you people did ask for it, who am I to let you down?**_

_**Oh, yeah. GO WATCH THE AVENGERS! I don't own the movie, but it is awesome. So. Awesome.**_


	8. The stakes got higher

_**_**I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.**_**_

* * *

><p>Superboy was the first to arrive at the top of the building, almost crashing through the concrete with his landing.<p>

"**M'GANN!**", the clone screamed, all attempts of stealth tossed aside.

Silence. There was nothing there, just a roof, exactly the thousand others throught out the city.

He could feel the tingling sensation in the hairs of his arms. He pinpointed the source with his heightened vision, a few grains of the green rock, left behind, just there at the edge.

'_M'GANN,_ _WHERE ARE YOU?_', he mentally shouted, his thoughts, desperate.

Nothing.

'_Could she be invisible?_', he thought, but rejected the idea immediately. M'gann would never play a prank like that against them, especially in a situation like that.

'_Not giving up! Have to focus my senses, just like Canary taught_', he heard from the bottom of his own mind.

There was wind and smoke in the air. Something else. More subtle…

'_Chocolate and butter_', he finally recognized. Fresh, although still faint.

Her smell. He could recognize it anywhere in the world.

That was all that was left of her.

'_Where to?_'

All the noises, the cars and bikes, far away. Televisions. MP3 players. Chatters. Laughs. Cries. Normal people living their normal lives in their apartments, unaware of was happening above them.

Something shuffling slightly. Paper. He noticed the weak smell of ink. Newspaper.

He saw it, under a brick, laying on another side of the roof.

Not important right now.

M'gann was.

'_Focus **harder**!_'

No breathing close to him.

No heartbeats nearby, above or bellow.

His mind raced, imagining various scenarios, each worse than the previous.

He finally admitted it.

'_She's gone._'

She was taken. Someone took her away from him.

'_**I'll be watching you FAIL**__._', he could hear the dry tone of the Riddler, over and over.

Something broke Conner's concentration. A muffled bang, far behind him. He already knew what it was.

A familiar grappling hook stuck to a wall close to him, a sturdy polymer cable tied to it. Robin followed suit, landing almost noiseless after gliding through the gap between the buildings.

The Boy-Wonder was silent, already sure of what had just happened.

The Riddler had played his next move.

He now had another _hostage_ with him.

* * *

><p>They were back inside the BioShip, Artemis doing her best to pilot the alien vessel.<p>

She remembered M'gann teaching her about it.

She had said that the Ship liked her.

Liked the '_sound_' of her thoughts.

'_What do you mean by that, if I'm thinking, how can there be a sound?_', she asked, trying to understand. And M'gann just laughed away.

Artemis was definitely feeling a whole new level of hate for the Riddler now.

The rest of the Team was busy, they had just started checking their next clue, the newspaper Conner had noticed before was now spread all over the ship.

Robin knew it was important to the whole Riddler game. It was a barely out-of-the-presses copy of that Saturday's issue of the Daily Planet, left on the same roof Miss Martian had disappeared.

Kal asked him if the newspaper itself could be a clue.

"Normally, yes", Robin said. "But not this time. The Riddler is playing at a different level tonight. No fingerprints, no genetic samples, no residual dust or smell. If there is anything for us here, it must be inside the newspaper, a clue or a riddle for us to look for and find in the printed text."

"Kidnapping M'gann, doesn't make sense", their leader remarked, checking the 'ads'-section.

Superboy stared at him, as if Aqualad had suddenly said something offensive.

The clone had been too quiet this whole time, their leader realised. An angry response was expected, but silence?

That could only spell trouble, Kal was sure of this.

"Yeah", Robin answered, in a conciliatory tone, almost oblivious to the quiet exchange. "I was thinking the exact same thing."

* * *

><p><em>Nygma's holographic message was clear to him now.<em>

_'**The Riddler will be watching you CLOSELY**.'_

_That had been a warning for the whole Team, not just Superboy._

_They were looking for clues to find their friends, while the Riddler would be keeping them under surveillance._

_'… **watching you FAIL'**, Robin recalled. 'If we get distracted, we get punished. Make a mistake, people get hurt.'_

_'**I'm going to prove a point… what happens to kids who think they can play adults' games… they lose.**"_

_'Hide and seek, cat and mouse. Kids' games. Adults' games.'_

_'**T****here's one VERY important rule… ****No help from the grown-ups****!**'_

_'Rules' Robin wondered. 'Rules… and penalties.'_

_'**Speedy here is the one who gets the ****penalties****.**'_

_'And now Miss Martian as well? **Why?**'_

_Robin could not see the bigger picture just yet, but he could already understand one thing._

_There had to be another plan in motion._

* * *

><p>"Guys, I've been thinking about something", Artemis said, keeping the ship steady while they kept flying in circles, since they really had nowhere to go, for the moment. "The Riddler might be an evil genius and all that stuff around Gotham, but… he's just one man, no way he could have captured M'gann!".<p>

Conner added, with the same reasoning: "Not alone, yeah."

"Indeed", Kaldur said, picking up the sports section. "This makes our situation even more troublesome."

They all remained quiet for a second.

They did make many enemies in such a few months.

The Cult of the Kobra, the Injustice League, Professor Ivo, the League of Shadows, Professor Morrow, Klarion, Vandal Savage, Queen Bee… could any one of them be helping Nygma?

"But no one fits, that's just it!", Robin said, a bit more frustrated now. "The Riddler has a lot of contacts in the criminal world, but to pull THIS off… it must be someone else... but who?"

"**Hello, Megan!**"

Now everyone turned, to stare Kid Flash this time.

He pulled off his mask, a triumphant smile in his face.

"I have an idea!", he said, zooming past everyone and bringing all the newspaper in one place.

Without any further explanation, Wally blurred in front of everyone, a pile of discarded pages increasing by his side.

"He's reading everything?", asked Artemis.

"Don't have to, the Riddler was hinting the section all along - and I found it!", said Wally with a specific section in his hand, presenting it to both Robin and Kaldur.

"_Kids_ section", Aqualad read out-loud.

"I **really HATE** this guy", Superboy finally commented, voicing Robin's exact opinion.

The Boy Wonder read the small article quickly and smirked: "That's it, Wally!"

"Uh, can anyone bother to tell me what is it?", asked Artemis, still sited.

Robin humoured his friend: "The Riddler is teasing us, listen to this: _Grandma Dewy's Words for Troubled Children._"

"Grandma Dewy?", Artemis asked, not really understanding.

"It's him, alright", Robin confirmed.

His other friends joined him, reading what was written bellow:

"... what?", asked both Superboy and Kid Flash, at the same time.

"Doesn't make sense to me. Robin?", asked Aqualad, but the leader saw the Boy Wonder's face. He was already figuring it out.

"Guys, seriously, either someone tell me something right now, or I swear I'm going to park the ship in..."

"Here", Wally said, pulling the paper from Robin's hands and showing the article in front of his friend's eyes.

There was a grey picture of an old woman, with glasses that kind of looked like question marks. There was a dialogue baloon coming out of the picture, with a question in bold letters.

"_'**When does the weight of a building matter to the Ocean side?**'_", Artemis spoke. "I... I don't think I know this one."

"Robin does", Wally said, showing the Boy Wonder was already speeding through a list of sites and photographs at his wrist holoscreen. "Care to share with the rest of the class, dude?"

"The Riddler is giving us a location. The problem is, it's not enough."

"What, then?", asked Superboy. "What's the answer?"

"Oh", replied Kaldur, figuring it out by himself. Robin knew at least him would understand it right away. "I see. This is a really lame joke, even for the Riddler's standards."

Aqualad took the newspaper out of Kid Flash's hands, before anybody else could reply. "The weight of a building would only matter to the Ocean...", he spoke, staring at Artemis, "... if it's a _light_house."

Artemis groaned and Wally face-palmed. Conner was... quiet.

Aqualad took a mental note, to watch over his Kryptonian friend.

"Okay, great", Artemis replied, asking what Robin had already stumbled upon. "So it's a lighthouse. Where?"

"I don't know that... yet", Robin replied.

"I think I do."

They all stared at Superboy.

"It's in the question itself", he said, pointing at the riddle, or more precisely, at the end of it. "'**_To the Ocean side_**', see?"

Robin 's grin was the widest so far. "Brillant, SB!", he congratulated his friend, already changing his on-line search. "Checking for a 'Lighthouse' plus 'Ocean Side'... got it! Five results. Four in North America, one in Australia!"

Kaldur took a moment to think.

* * *

><p><em>Five different locations. Few, yet still too many options, and not enough time.<em>

_'Time', the leader thought to himself._

_The Riddler was clearly toying with them, sending them from one location to the next, with traps and messages, forcing them to continue their quest._

_But he did not give them any time limit, yet._

_'Why? Kidnapping Miss Martian means he is putting us into even more pressure. We were already set to rescue Red Arrow. This means something else...', he concluded.  
><em>

_'No time limit. What does it mean?'  
><em>

_The Riddler did not set any time limit, but every second now felt like an hour._

_'Think of the team', he said to himself. 'The Riddler is planning something, but my priority now - OUR priority now IS rescuing the hostages.'_

_They had to speed things up._

* * *

><p>"Robin", Aqualad suddenly ordered. "Show us the nearest locations, using the city of Metropolis as a map reference."<p>

The boy Wonder pressed a button and two holoscreens appeared in the air.

"Oceanside, Oregon", the teen pointed to his right, then to his left. "Oceanside, California."

"Where to, first?", asked Artemis, already turning the Bioship around.

Robin smirked, but it was half-hearted. "California. We should start with the Oceanside of California."

"Why?", the leader asked.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "'_**Eureka**'._"

"Huh?", Wally asked, surprised.

Robin looked to his side, and his other friend got the hint.

"'**_Eureka_**'. Greek for '**_I have found it_**'", Superboy said, and seeing Wally's expression, added: "The official motto of California's state."

"Oh", was Wally's only comment, before shifting his gaze and asking: "Just out of curiosity..."

"'**_Alis volat propriis_**'... or _'**She flies with her own wings**_'_._"

"... thanks", Wally added, surprised, looking back to the main view window.

* * *

><p>M'gann woke up.<p>

She was inside a room. A dark room.

She could not see much, and could not sense anyone near her.

'_Conner..._', she thought, worried, before hearing steps.

"Hello?", she asked, not sure of what to expect...

* * *

><p><strong><em>(...)<em>**

**_... hello?_**

**_Anyone there?_**

**_I'm sorry for the delay, people, I really, really am._**

**_So, here it is! The update I promised so long ago.  
><em>**

**_Next chapter... there will be some graphic content. Maybe.  
><em>**

**_Please, feel free to share any thoughts, or suggestions, ok?  
><em>**


	9. Riddles in the Dark

_**I do not OWN Young Justice, just making sure I'm legal around here.**_

_**Oh, yes, word of warning, language might get mature...**_

* * *

><p>The answer came from the darkness, a man whose voice she was starting to hate more and more as the night progressed.<p>

M'gann realized she could not move.

She was in a sitting position, her arms tied behind her back on a old wooden chair.

'_Just like Red Arrow was in that tape..._', she realized. '_All beaten up, broken and bleeding._'

"Hello, _little_ girl. Enjoying your present accommodations?", asked the Riddler, grinning and spinning that cane of his. "Oh, I know, it's not as comfortable as your '_club-cave_', but I do appreciate the classic aesthetic of this undisclosed hostage-holding location."

"What do you want?", she asked. She could easily break free from the ropes tying her to the chair and attack the madman, but she had to play it safe.

Red Arrow's life was at stake there.

"Tsk, tsk… thought the _Boy_ Wonder would teach you kids better...", he mocked her. "**I'm** the one who makes the questions, child."

M'gann went quiet. Taking a deep breath, she locked eyes with the man called Edward Nygma.

* * *

><p><em>She could see herself inside his mind, easily infiltrating his psyche.<em>

_There were tents and lights everywhere, all around the alien girl._

_She was at what appeared to be an amusement park, with entertainment, food, games, and carnival-like attractions all around her._

_But she was all alone._

"_Come all! Come now!", said a voice coming from one of the tents. M'gann floated in its direction, finding Edward Nygma, dressed in what appeared to be a green body-suit full of black question marks._

"_You there, little girl!", he said, spinning a black cane. "Wanna try your luck? Solve the riddle and you can get inside the brightest mind of all world!"_

_Everything shifted around her._

_Now, the young Martian was in an endless room, covered in complete darkness. In front of her, a door, bound by chains and locks._

_M'gann patted the door, revealing words that were now carved into the wood._

"_WHEN DOES THE **ANSWER **COME IN A DIFFERENT **KEY**?", she read them aloud, and, just as sudden as the Martian's mental projection asked, baffled by the sudden block in her mental intrusion, she was hit by a bright light._

* * *

><p>M'gann blinked.<p>

She was back in that room, the Riddler smiling back at her.

"Trying to get inside my head, little one? In other weaker people, that trick might have worked, except you will find me a much more _elusive_ challenge."

The Riddler took a few steps forward, closing in on Miss Martian.

"You see, growing up, I always considered psychics and paranormals nothing but a bunch of mumbo-jumbo quacks… but, as it dawns the New Age, we humans found ourselves in a reality where superpowers are not a thing of comic books, and where some individuals don't have to be smart enough to figure out the solutions of life's great mysteries by themselves", he said, poking the girl's green forehead. "They can just pluck the answers out of much more enlightened minds. And I find this **very** distasteful."

Edward Nygma leaned over, getting his face closer to hers. "So, like my fellow Professor Ivo, I took the necessary means to learn how to keep my mind my own sanctum of privacy, free of irksome intrusions like yours, you meddlesome _wench._"

In response, M'gann widened up her eyes, tossing the human into the air and straight back into the darkness, making a sound like he had hit something painfully.

M'gann could not see the man, but she could still hear his voice.

Though shaken, the Riddler was laughing.

"Oh, yes! **YES!** There it is, the solution of a _lesser_ mind, when your ability to cheat in the Game is ineffective, you always opt for the brute force!"

Nygma stepped back into the light, quickly pulling something out of his jacket's chest pocket.

Something small and golden.

"However, two can play it _rough_, girl", he said, opening up the device and presenting a flicker of flame igniting.

It was a simple lighter, engraved with a question mark, but M'gann stared at it as if it was a gun.

"It hurts, doesn't it? The flame", he told her, walking once more towards her, the flame flickering over the metallic object. "'_Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth_'!"

M'gann Morzz tried keeping herself as steady as she could, trying not to give in into fear.

"I find it funny, how you and your uncle are probably the most powerful members on your teams... and yet, in the proximity of fire, even a flame just as this, your mighty concentration breaks and your powers start to malfunction", he joked, pushing the lighter close to her, "all from something that most primitive humans figured out how to make millennia ago."

M'gann tried bursting the ropes binding her, but her strength was failing her.

"Unlike your group of wannabe heroes, I came into play prepared. I studied your techniques, your abilities and all your weaknesses. That previous demonstration of power with the '_Cadmus Toy_' and the kryptonite trinket over the Daily Bugle cost me an arm and a leg, but you, you I could easily bind here weak and powerless for less than my pocket changes."

The Riddler lost the farcical expression. He seemed much more serious than before, not menacing, M'gann noticed, but focused.

"But that's not why I had to take you out of the Game so soon, child", he explained, putting his other hand inside his jacket. "No, no, you, little Miss Martian, have a important part to play in all of this, at the very end."

He drew what appeared to be a weapon from inside his clothes, M'gann recognizing the structure of a tranquilizer gun.

The same gun she now remembered flashing in front of her, at the top of that Metropolis building.

* * *

><p><em>A green gloved hand swiftly covered her mouth...<em>

_A silvery gun, injecting something through her neck..._

_The blurry images of the night sky before falling unconscious, her mind still wondering how someone could have taken her by surprise like that…_

* * *

><p>"Riddle me this, little girl: <strong>why<strong> are you here?", Nygma asked. "Why would the Riddler go into the trouble of taking you away from your friends, if the bad guy already has one hostage with him?"

M'gann was helpless as the Riddler pressed the gun against her arm and shot her unconscious once more.

"Here's a hint... I already **said** it why", he remarked, aware that the alien girl was out cold.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, first of all, thanks for all those who keep still reading this story, you people rock!<strong>_

_**(Short chapter, yes, I know, sorry!)**_

_**Second, a little game of my own! Can anybody guess the special reference in the name of the chapter? Or the solution for this chapter's riddle? Or even other chapters' riddles as well?**_

_**Reviews and replies will be welcomed!**_

_**The plot thickens... more to come, stay tuned!**_


End file.
